Short message service (“SMS”) is a service that allows a wireless device such as a mobile phone to send and receive short messages from other wireless devices. Traditionally, SMS messages are sent over circuit services networks such as Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) 1× networks. SMS messages transmitted by a wireless device, computer, and the like, are received by a Short Message Service Center (“SMSC”), which allows the wireless devices to exchange SMS messages between each other. Once the SMSC receives an SMS message, it sends a SMS Request to a home location register (“HLR”) to locate the intended recipient of the SMS message. The HLR is a database that holds subscription information associated with wireless devices subscribing in the circuit services network.
The HLR transmits information associated with the intended recipient device such as the device's status and current location. The SMSC is then able to contact the mobile switching center (“MSC”) that the recipient device has registered with in order to deliver the SMS message.
One problem with the traditional way of transmitting SMS messages discussed above is that the circuit services network is primarily used for voice services. The circuit services network is unnecessarily burdened with SMS traffic. Network resources such as air interface capacity and MSC capacity, among other things, are decreased. To overcome this problem, carrier providers implement wireless communication systems that utilize a packet data network for transmission of SMS messages. However, in these systems, the SMSC does not have knowledge of the registration status of the intended recipient device. Therefore, the SMSC needs to query a home subscriber server (“HSS”) to determine the registration status of the recipient device. This process creates unnecessary overhead for the system.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.